The Role of Environmental Management Systems and Energy Management Systems in the Adoption of Energy Recuperation Technologies in Central European Manufacturing Companies

Abstract

The diffusion of technologies within an economic system is an intricate process, influenced by a variety of factors, including governmental policies, the characteristics of adopting companies, and the technologies that can be adopted. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the implementation of environmental management systems (EMSs), such as ISO 14001, or energy management systems (EnMSs), such as ISO 50001, and the adoption of energy recuperation technologies (ERTs), which are a subset of energy efficient technologies (EETs). To achieve this, our research leveraged data from the 2018 European Manufacturing Survey, specifically a subsample of 798 companies across five European countries: Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, and Lithuania. Due to the investigation of relationships and the type of variables used, we employed a two-step ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis. Our analysis uncovered that the current utilization of EMSs and EnMSs within companies is significantly linked to the current use of ERTs. However, upon further examination of the implementation timeline, it became improbable that EMSs or EnMSs have a substantial impact on enhancing the adoption of these technologies in the short term. Moreover, our results show that technological intensity and product complexity does not play a determining role in the adoption of ERTs, but they did show that larger companies tend to invest more in ERTs, which is in line with the findings of previous studies.